Means for extinguishing fire in oil-tanks



(No Model.)

0; BARNES. MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES IN O IL TANKS.

Patented July 19,1881.

Will

- "fiirivm- I l I III. llu 0 v 0 I v w lllI EUNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

CHARLES BARNES, OF DAYTON, KENTUCKY.

MEANSFOR- EXTINGUISHING FIRE IN OIL-TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,421, dated July 19, 1881. Application filed April 26, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BARNES, of the city of Dayton, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Extinguishing Fires in Oil-Tanks and Similarly Dangerous Situations, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an improved means to automaticallyextinguish fires in oiltanks by means of carbonic-acid gas or other fire-extin guishin g chemicals,which extinguishing-agents are brought into action for the purpose by heat generated by the fire they are intended to extinguish. These objects are accomplished by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings,-a full description of which will first be given, after which the novel features of my invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an oil-tank provided withmyimprovements. Fig. 2 is atop-plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the perforated distributer. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of my preferred form of reservoir or acid-mixing vessel. The upper part of the shell is broken away in front to expose the interior. Fig. 5 is a topplan view of the same with the head or cover removed. Fig. 6 is a view partially in verti cal section of a mixing-vessel or acid-reservoir mounted upon trunnions. When a fusiblyjointed wire is parted by heat this vessel is reversed end for end, mixing the acid in the upper interior vessel with an alkaline or saline solution in the main reservoir. Fig. 7 is a topplan view of the device shown in Fig. 6, the

end or cover being removed 5 and- Fig. 8 is a B up and over the tank A, where it branches out in four arms, 0, which have depending from their ends the perforated distributors D, Fig.

3. The pipe C is provided with a cock, E,

When the lever is held u pin the position shown the cock E is closed. The lever is held up by a wire,f, which is fusibly jointed atf. In case of fire the fusible joint f will be parted and the lever F carried down by the weight suspended upon its outer end, thus opening the valve E, that the extinguishingfluid or gas may be discharged into the burning oil in tank A.

Suspended upon trunnions within vessel B, and near its top, is an acid-vessel, G. One of the trunnions g extends to the outside of the vessel B and has upon its enda weighted lever, H. This leveris held up by a branch of wire, f, so that when the fusible joint f is parted by heat the lever will be carried down by its weight, overturning the vessel G and emptying its contents into the contents of vessel B simultaneously with the opening of dischargecock E.

Of course, when the vessel B is charged with the extinguishing agent under pressure sufficient to discharge its contents through the perforated distributers when the cool: Eis opened, the interior vessel, G, and its connections may be dispensed with.

Instead of the weighted lever to overturn a vessel or shelf for the purpose of mixing the chemicals, it may be made to break a glass tube or bottle or withdraw a stopper from an acid-vessel, such as used in the Babcock extinguisher.

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 represent a modification in which the vessel or shelf to contain one of the substances is permanently fixed in the upper part of the reservoir. The aqueous solution is contained in the bottom of the reservoir. The chemicals are mixed for the purpose of liberating the gases by overturning the reservoir.

B is the reservoir, and G the acid-vessel suspended within it near the top by arms g.

J are standards, between which the vessel B swings, supported by trunnions I), which have their bearings in the upper ends of the standards. The weighted crank K, fixed upon the extended end of one of the trunnions, is

intended to be held up in the position shown When the fusible joint in the wire is parted the weight upon crank Kdescending turns vessel B bottom up. In passing to the inverted position it will, by the momentum given it, be 5 carried to the vertical position and so retained by a spring-catch, 70, upon one of the standards catching in a notched cam upon the hub of the crank K.

The connection between pipe 0 and the vesro sel B should be a flexible hose to permit the vessel to turn freely, or the pipe may connect with a hollow trunnion, such as used upon oscillating steam-engines.

I do not claim the vessel for mixing chemi- 15 cals to produce a fire extinguishing agent. Any of the chemical fire'extinguishers now in general use may be readily adapted for use in my combination. Nor do I claim here,broadly, the means shown for automatically opening a 20 valve in case of fire by a weighted lever and fusibly-jointed wire, as these devices are covered in former patents granted to me.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, substantially as specified, of tank A, chemical fire-extinguishing 25 vessel B, and discharge-pipe G with a weighted lever and fusibly-jointed wire, as shown, to automatically discharge the contents of the chemical vessel over the burning liquid in tank A when joint f is fused by heat. 0

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of tank A, vessels B and G, discharge-pipe O, and valve E with weighted levers FH,andfusibly-jointed wire f, the whole arranged to operate as specified.

C HARLES BARNES.

Witnesses:

GEO. J. MURRAY, ALFRED B. BENEDICT. 

